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Technically located in East Boston, Boston's Logan Airport lies three miles outside of downtown Boston. Situated on land reclaimed from the Boston Harbor in 1929, you must cross a portion of the harbor to reach Boston proper. The Sumner Tunnel carries passengers under the harbor from Logan to Boston for a hefty toll. To avoid both an expensive cab ride and the oppressive Boston traffic, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or MBTA, offers air travelers convenient subway service connecting the airport station to downtown in a six-minute ride.

Items you will need

Cash or credit card

Charlie Card or ticket

Step 1

Walk out any airport exit and check the signs lining the outside of the building. Look for a rectangular sign that says "MBTA" or "airport shuttles." Wait for a white bus with a blue horizontal strip. The digital display on the front and side of the bus should say "MBTA Blue Line." Buses number 22, 33 or 55 will take you to the subway station, depending on the time of day. The 22 stops at terminals A and B, the 33 stops at terminals C and E, and the 55 runs during off-peak hours. The shuttle is free.

Step 2

Enter the subway station through the glass doors when the shuttle drops you off. Look for ticket machines on the sides of the entrance hall. Check if the machines accept cash, credit cards or both, and choose a machine that corresponds to how you would like to pay. Select from the options for a weekly or monthly pass or a fare-loaded card, and pay for your selection.

Step 3

Tap your loaded Charlie Card or slide your paper ticket through the electronic entrance machines leading to the train tracks. Walk up the stairs or ride the escalator over the tracks to the next platform. Take the next blue line train toward Bowdoin that arrives.

Step 4

Exit the train at the Government Center stop, the forth from the airport, for locations in downtown Boston. Take the green line from Government Center if you need to reach the Boston Common, Copley Square, Newbury Street or Fenway Park.

Step 5

Travel to Roxbury, Jamaica Plain or other areas in southwestern Boston by getting off the blue line at State Street and connecting to the orange line heading toward Forest Hills. From the State Street blue line platform, follow the stairs up toward the exit until you see signs for the orange line. Walk down the long tunnel-like hallway to reach the orange line platform.

Tip

In the airport station, the ticket machines directly in front of the door have the longest lines. Ticket machines on the other side of the ones facing the door, in a sort of alcove, are typically less busy.

The ticket machines often have trouble processing credit cards. Insert and remove your card very slowly if the machine doesn't read it on the first try. Try inserting and removing it very briskly if the slow approach doesn't work. If all else fails, ask the MBTA representative in the office or circling the atrium to try your card for you.

References

Resources

About the Author

Gabi Logan began writing food and travel articles in 2004. Logan's work has appeared in Boston-area online magazines, including "The Second Glass" and "The Savvy Bostonian," and in publications at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Italian language and culture from Smith College.

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